SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Children living with HIV attend soccer clinic run by coaches from Brazil

Record ID: 402303

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Children living with HIV attend soccer clinic run by coaches from Brazil
  • Date: 18th June 2010
  • Summary: MARAISBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (JUNE 16, 2010) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) GLEN STEYN, DIRECTOR, CONQUEST FOR LIFE, SAYING: "The World Cup, everything is focused on money and people that can afford and unfortunately many young people and children in the townships and a majority of the South Africans can't afford to go to the World Cup or some of them didn't have access to
  • Embargoed: 3rd July 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA47QHSBQBV36PJJRDFPDPP5N7F
  • Story Text: Vuvuzelas are a common sight at soccer events and stadiums across South Africa but at this soccer clinic in Maraisburg, outside Johannesburg, the instruments of choice are not the famous plastic trumpets but the African style xylophones known as marimbas.
    The band members are all children living with or affected by HIV/AIDS and are from the Sparrow Rainbow Village, an orphanage and hospice for terminally ill AIDS patients.
    Seventeen-year-old Mbali Ndlangamandla is HIV positive. She moved to Sparrow Village in 2006 when her parents died of AIDS. Although Mbali does not always like to play soccer, she says the soccer clinic which was held for children from disadvantaged communities from around Johannesburg, was also an opportunity for her to show off her musical skills.
    "I enjoy it because we play games. We have fun, dance and I've got a chance to play my instrument in front of everybody to see my talent," said Mbali.
    There are over 1.2 million children orphaned by AIDS in South Africa. Many either live with relatives or in child-headed households across the country. Some like 17-year-old Mongezi Zondi end up in homes like Sparrow Village. Mongezi's mother died of AIDS in 2005. He said that though he is not HIV positive, living with people who are has taught him not to discriminate against them and fight the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS.
    "I would say that it's not something to be afraid of because I mean if you can check some of the Sparrow kids who are really HIV positive, I mean they've picked up and they live as normal as we do. I mean you can't even identify whose HIV and whose not and meanwhile we live together. I mean it's something which is normal in our lives and we are just living with it," said Zondi.
    With some 5.7 million people infected with HIV, South Africa has the world's highest HIV caseload. An estimated 500,000 people are infected each year and around 1,000 die every day from AIDS-related illnesses.
    South Africa, however, has the world's largest anti-retroviral (ARV) programme with patients receiving the drugs free at accredited hospitals and clinics. A regimen of ARV drugs can prolong the life of those diagnosed with the incurable disease that kills millions each year.
    The government also announced in December last year that from April 2010, all children under one year will get anti-retroviral drugs if they test positive. Pregnant women and patients with both tuberculosis and AIDS will receive treatment if their CD4 or T-cell counts are 350 or less.
    Still, at least 34 percent of South Africa's estimated 50 million people live on less than two dollars per day compounding the AIDS epidemic. Many are unemployed and do not have access to basic health and medical services.
    The soccer clinic in Maraisburg was held to ensure that children from these poor communities can also benefit from the World Cup. Local NGO, 'Conquest for Life' that works with youth from townships and informal settlements partnered with the Brazilian government and the Olé Brasil Football Club to organise the soccer camps.
    "The World Cup, everything is focused on money and people that can afford and unfortunately many young people and children in the townships and a majority of the South Africans can't afford to go to the World Cup or some of them didn't have access to the internet to order tickets or to book a ticket and what we decided to do is to give the young people a taste of what is happening in the stadiums. It might not be that massive but it's just a foretaste of what people experience in the stadiums but also to bring the spirit back and support Bafana Bafana and show the country that we are part of what is happening," said Glen Steyn, Director of Conquest of Life.
    The Brazilian coaches who worked with the kids said they were impressed with the young players that they met. They plan to train at least 800 children in the ten days that they will hold the camps from June 15 to June 25.
    "Today, I saw a lot of talent here. South Africa has a bunch of talent. So, when I train them they seem to be close to the Brazilians. They play... they know the drills. I've seen so many kids here that can in the future play in Bafana Bafana," said Coach Fabricio Morozetti who has worked at Olé Brasil for two years now.
    As for the World Cup tournament itself, loyalties are divided among the young kids from Sparrow Village. Despite losing 3-0 to Uruguay, Mongezi says he's still firmly behind Bafana Bafana while the young musician Mbali said that her favourite player is Brazil's Kaka and that she will be cheering for the Samba Kings.
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